


To The Survivor Goes The Spoils

by ernyx



Series: Romanogers fics (for ease of finding) [1]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alcohol, F/M, I'm just trash for this ship okay, I'm not sure if this qualifies as, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Romanogers Secret Santa, but not an overindulgence of it, romanogers - Freeform, sassing and being friends and falling in love, with a side of angst?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-20
Updated: 2018-01-20
Packaged: 2019-03-06 16:59:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13415637
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ernyx/pseuds/ernyx
Summary: It starts, not with a kiss, as many things do, but with a smile.“You know what, Romanoff?”It’s a challenge, and the world is falling apart around them, almost literally, and all she can do is think that he’s finally learning how to sass back.





	To The Survivor Goes The Spoils

**Author's Note:**

> crossposted from the romanogers secret santa on tumblr, from @artificiallyimplantedmemories

It starts, not with a kiss, as many things do, but with a smile.

_[ “You know what, Romanoff?” ]_

It’s a challenge, and the world is falling apart around them, almost literally, and all she can do is think that he’s finally learning how to sass back. She’s grateful because they’re **friends** , and she’s not sure she can handle the idea of having a friend she can’t tease. She’s  _been_  teasing him for months, really, maybe even years– because Kristen, from Statistics? Yeah, he was never going to go for that one.

That said, she hasn’t really figured out what he  _will_  go for.

They slide into each other’s lives not like puzzle pieces that fit together, but as grease for old gears, fine-tuning each other, making the other run a little more smoothly. It’s a good arrangement, fighting side by side, all the way up to being on top of a hunk of rock, ready to die for their cause.

_[ “I never said we should leave.” ]_

It starts, then, with a sudden jolt of understanding, that they’re not really two worlds apart. Yeah, he grew up in a different place and culture, but they’ve both lived long lives fighting other people’s battles. They still have convictions that are embedded in their cores, and a willingness to sacrifice themselves for the greater good.

She looks out over the edge, down to where Sokovia once was, and he’s struck by the sudden urge to kiss her breathless and give her a reason to survive. That’s egotistical of him, maybe, but he needs something,  _anything_   that will reassure him that she’ll be there at the end with him.

But she smiles at him, heartbreakingly soft and sad, and all he can do is a nod.

—

They make it out alive. All of them are a little worse for wear, Tony’s guilt complex is spiraling off the charts, which leads the genius to hole up in the workshop, Rhodey on his heels in an attempt to keep him from closing himself off from everyone forever. Clint is barely talking, just _hovering_ over Pietro’s body and hoping that the speedster will pull through. Wanda’s not much better, huddled into his side, with Vision watching over her protectively. Bruce has retreated like he always does after the Hulk comes out, Thor has returned to Asgard, and last they saw of Sam, Fury was trying to get him to join S.H.I.E.L.D., which Natasha is fairly convinced won’t work out. That leaves her and the Captain, sitting in the Tower together wondering what the hell just happened.

She grabs a drink, neither able nor willing to process everything just yet and when she offers one to Steve, he grabs her hand instead. Wordlessly, she folds in next to him, the armchair nowhere near big enough for two. The physical contact is welcome, comfortable in a way that it wouldn’t be with most others for her, and she finds herself calming as she listens to his heartbeat.

It’s a long time before she speaks.

“You know, if people see us like this, you’ll never get a date.”  
“You’re the only one trying to set me up, you know.”  
“What, you deserve to have fun– be **happy**.”

He looks at her with a too-intense gaze and loops an arm around her. “I am. Happy, I mean. As much as I think I’ll be.”

“Bullshit. You live in your head. Half the time you’re three thousand miles away beneath a sheet of ice. You live like you’re trying to make up for the fact that you survived.”

It’s too accurate, too harsh, and Natasha regrets it almost the instant it’s been said, but Steve shushes her when she attempts an apology.

“No, you’re right. But it’s easier like this.”  
“…with me?”  
“With you. And the other Avengers, but mostly  _you_.”

She sighs and tries not to feel proud of that because nobody’s health and happiness should rely on someone like  _her_ , but it’s a moot point. She’s slowly been falling for him over the last year, there’s no way she can’t let it affect her. So she just smiles and presses a kiss to his cheek before raising her glass.

“To **us** , then.”

He nods, waits for her to knock it back, and kisses her gently. “And to you never trying to find me a date again, you crazy woman.” He laughs.

She smiles. “It’s a promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments? Feedback? I'd love to hear it! Drop me a line either here or on my tumblr!


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